AS Mark Oâ€™Meara returned to the scene of his finest hour, he revealed his passion for the course and the game of golf are still as alive as ever, writes Phil Kirkbride.

Last Wednesday, 51-year-old Oâ€™Meara retraced the winning steps that saw him lift the British Open Championships at Royal Birkdale in 1998.

A dramatic four hole play- off against fellow American Brian Watts was eventually won by Oâ€™Meara in what was his greatest year as a golfer, adding the Open to his Masters crown gained three months earlier.

Ten years on and Oâ€™Meara is coming back to the most famous links golf course in the world to rekindle his affinity with the course, the fans and the famous claret jug.

He said: â€œItâ€™s a pleasure to be back and it was great to be out on the course again. There are real fine quality names on that claret jug and I feel I am a lucky man to have won it.

â€œThe event speaks for itself because itâ€™s a global tournament and for me to have my name on the jug is very, very special. In my opinion, the four majors in golf are the only tournaments that define a player and the Open is the ultimate of them all.

â€œAt 51, I feel as though I still have the desire and drive to do well, sometimes my concentration goes and perhaps Iâ€™m not putting as well as I used to but I want to come here and play well â€“ to come back here in three weeks and give a good showing would be just awesome.â€

Playing in difficult weather, the 1998 tournament proved to be a real stretch for the worldâ€™s best golfers as only two players equalled the course par on the third day of competition.

But a final round of 68 from Oâ€™Meara set up the much lauded play-off with Watts.

Oâ€™Meara added: â€œIn â€™98 I remember being on the putting green just before we went out and Jesper Parnevik came over and said â€˜do you feel any different being the Masters championâ€™. I thought I didnâ€™t because I was still nervous but thinking about it, having already won a major, I feel as though I had a little bit of an edge going into the play-off.

â€œ I was able to rise to the occasion and to have my family there when I hoisted the trophy was very special.â€

Oâ€™Meara said: â€œTheyâ€™ve (Royal Birkdale) made a few changes and put a few bunkers in there since last time â€“ itâ€™s a wonderful test. I was worried that every hole was going to be lengthened but after reading the bio, 155 yards is a little bit longer but not the 500 yards some though it would be.

â€œHoles 11 to 16 are very demanding, especially with the lengthening of 16 but the course is so fair, itâ€™s difficult, but it is all in front of you.

â€œWinning the Open this year is going to come down to players who have past success in the competition, players who manage themselves, the oneâ€™s who are creative and make pressure putts.

l See next weekâ€™s 20th Hole for part two of the Oâ€™Meara interview.